Diagnosis and surgical treatment of 51 cases of lung mycosis / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and surgical management experiences of 51 cases of pulmonary fungal infections. Methods The clinical data of 51pulmonary fungal infection patients hospitalized in department of thoracic surgery of PLA General Hospital from 1981 to 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Results The recruited cases included three cases of Candida albicans, 22 of Aspergillus, and 26 of Cryptococcus. The clinical symptoms included cough, hemoptysis, fever, chest tightness, chest pain and asthma. Twenty cases were identified through routine healthy examination. Of chest X-ray and computed tomograply scan, 29 cases presented with solid nodules in the lung, some of which had burrs and spikes; 13 presented with pulmonary cavity with even wall thickness and smooth inner wall including 7 with aspergillar glomera.Forty-eight cases underwent standard thoracotomy operations and 3 cases underwent thoracoscope or thoracoscopy-assisted minithoracotomy. Seventeen underwent pulmonary lobectomies, and 34 wedge resections. There was no operative mortality in the 51 patients. All diagnoses were confirmed by postoperative pathology. There was no relapse during 3- 10 years of follow-up. Conclusions Primary pulmonary fungal infections lack characteristic presentations in clinical manifestations and imaging examinations. Pathology is the evidence for definite diagnosis. Surgical intervention is an effective tool for diagnose and treatment of this disease.